Life As We Know It
by Tay otptilltheend
Summary: Steve Rogers is the owner of a small Atlanta bakery, Maria Hill is executive producer at a news company. Their mutual best friends Natasha and James set them up on a blind date that doesn't end well. Steve thinks Maria is afraid of committing to a relationship, while Maria thinks Steve is uptight. They both think the date will be the most interaction they will have with each other.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This is my very first Captain Hill multi-chapter fic, based on the movie Life As We Know It written by Ian Deitchamn and Kristen Robinson. Maria will be (kind of) taking the role of Messer and Steve will be (kind of) taking the role of Holly (for those who have seen the movie) I wanted to change it up a bit because I refuse to write this as the typical "Woman gets left with baby" trop. Plus I feel it fits the characters personality a bit better.

*Movie and plot rights go to the writers. I don't take any credit.*

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

* * *

Natasha was lucky that Maria cared about her, otherwise this wouldn't have worked. The redhead's fiancé, James, had brought the idea of setting Maria up with one of his friends, and Natasha had grabbed onto the idea and hadn't let go. 'You're the last of my friends who still single. Give it a shot. Please? For me?' Maria had sighed and rolled her eyes at the redhead but agreed to the arrangement.

She couldn't understand why Natasha wanted her to date (and eventually marry of course) someone. Maybe she needed someone to talk marriage with, or gush about how great being in a relationship was. Whatever the reason, the brunette didn't understand it. Being with someone wasn't pointless, but she was at a point in her career and life where she just couldn't see herself tied down to someone for the rest of her life. She was perfectly content with casually dating someone.

Hearing a knock at her door, a sigh of exasperation escaped her. He was here. Of course, he would be right on time, sadly for him, she wasn't ready. Way to blow the stereotype of women always being ready first out of the air. Still dressed in her lounging clothes, Maria made her way down the hall and towards the door.

"Hi, you must be Steven." She greeted as she opened the door, gaze quickly taking in the male standing before her.

"Steve, is fine. Everyone call me Steve." He gave her a small nervous smile and took in her appearance. "I'm not too early, am I?"

"No, come in. I'll be ready in a few." Stepping aside to let him in, she padded back down the hall, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be out in a bit."

Disappearing around the corner, Maria made her way down the hall and into her room. Her make up and hair were already done, she just had to put some clothes on. She had taken note of how Steve was dressed, white dress shirt, jeans and a sports jacket. The thought of having to work tomorrow stopped her from reaching for a dress. Instead, she opted for black jeans and a denim top with sensible flats.

Emerging once more, she grabbed her purse from the kitchen table and moved into the living room.

"Ready?" Steve asked from where he stood, looking at some painting she had up on her wall.

Nodding, Maria pulled out her keys as they walked outside. Shutting and locking the door, she fell into step beside Steve.

"How did you and Natasha meet?", he questioned, glancing over at her.

"We were in a sorority together in college. Cheapest rent on campus." Out of all their sorority sisters, Natasha was the only one Maria had been able to stand. Over the years, the redhead turned into one of her closest friends.

"How did you and James meet?"

"We went to high school together. Kept in touch even after I went off to school."

Humming in response, Maria followed him to his car noting the way he opened the door for her before getting in. He really was a gentleman. Where had he come from and why on earth did Natasha think they would make a good match?

"Where did you make the reservations?" Steve asked once he was seated.

"I thought you were making them?"

"Uh…. You said you wanted to make them…"

Right, she had. Unfortunately, it had completely slipped her mind.

"I did… I honestly forgot, busy with work and all." This was starting to get awkward. "We can go anywhere, it's totally fine. Or we can order pizza?"

"Yeah.. uh… wherever you want to go is fine by me."

Sighing, Maria turned her body in the seat to look at Steve. "Look, I'm not sure what Natasha and James were thinking by setting us up. It's my fault we don't have a reservation, I know. But why don't we order take out and see where the night goes?"

It was a relatively neutral offer, but Steve clearly detected the hidden meaning to it.

"I'm not sleeping with you. I'm not that type of guy."

Raising a brow at him, she waited a beat before replying. "That type of guy? What? The type of guy to sleep with someone like me?"

She could practically see his imaginary face palm as he realized he had shoved his foot in his mouth. Oh fucking well.

"No. That's not what I meant." Embarrassment was clearly written all over his features as he struggled to undo the damage he had done.

"Save it for someone else." With that, Maria opened the car door and got out, slamming it shut.

"Maria, wait. I didn't mean it like that." The car door slammed shut as he got out, but Maria didn't look back at him, just made her way back to her apartment door.

"You're one of those uptight guys who hates the idea of women having casual relationships. Aren't you?" Keys in hand she turned to look at him, leveling him with an expressionless look.

"And let me guess, you're one of those women who's afraid of committing to a relationship?" He hadn't even had time to explain himself and now he was being accused of being uptight? What the hell?

Scoffing, Maria continued towards her door. "You don't know anything about me. Natasha and James were clearly out of their minds."

Unlocking her door, she walked inside and slammed the door shut. Natasha was so going to be in for it, what had she been thinking?

* * *

 **A/N:** Posting this was extremely daunting because I feel like I'm going to fuck up the characters, so feedback is greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Thank you to those who have given me feedback, especially to Tielan for giving me the advice that she did. I have two more chapters plotted (I need to plot the rest out) but I don't know when I will be able to start working on them as I start classes next week. If you like this, **_please_** bear with me, I will update whenever I can. (I updated the version on Ao3 first before this one, just FIY)

*I don't take any credit for the idea, nor do I take credit for the idea of Sophie's character.*

* * *

After their disastrous date, both Maria and Steve thought that they would never have to see each other again. Maria had complained to Natasha about it while Steve had complained to James. Unfortunately for them, their mutual best friends were getting married, which meant six months of seeing each other for pre-wedding events and holidays.

Steve ended up making the wedding cake (which everyone raved about). At their Christmas party, Maria took a date and Steve made sure to give her crap about not wanting to kiss him under the mistletoe (which was caught on video because James was really into making home movies, especially with Natasha four months pregnant with their first child). Even during Sophie's birth, they had to bicker, it's like they couldn't help themselves.

Now, a year later all four friends were at Natasha and James' house celebrating Sophie's first year. Steve and James were outside with Sophie, making sure the castle guys didn't steal anything while they were setting up the jumper. While Natasha and Maria were inside, getting the food and last minute touches done.

"Why didn't you bring Lillian with you?" James questioned, glancing over at Steve who was bouncing Sophie in his arms.

"Because we broke up."

"What? I thought you really liked her? Was it the lip ring that made you call it quits?" His voice was teasing, lips curling into a smirk before he turned his attention to the teenage boys trying to set up the jumper.

"Yeah, I did like her but I just couldn't see myself marrying her. She wasn't the one." Shifting the babbling baby in his arms, he raised her in the air, a cry of joy escaping her as she gave him a toothless smile. "Sophie is the only girl for me, aren't you?"

"Don't do that you punk, Nat might see. Besides, Soph was just fed, she gonna puke on you."

Ignoring his friend's comments, he continued lifting Sophie into the air a few more times before settling her back in his arms.

"Alright you two, knock it off." James scowled at the teens as they stumbled towards him.

"Uh… just a warning, no babies on there…" The one with long floppy hair said.

"And no fat adults" The taller skater looking one added before they both broke out in stifled giggles.

"Are you two stoned?" James asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow at them.

"No, sir. It's illegal." The floppy haired guy commented as they both shook their heads.

"Your eyes are red," Steve pointed out as he came to stand next to James.

"C'mon, cough it up or I'm calling the cops." James held out his hand as he waited for one or both to give him their stash.

Steve couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the floppy haired kid hand over a small plastic baggie containing the drug. Wow. They had asked for a jumper and got drug dealers instead. Making his way onto the jumper with Sophie in his arms, he gently started jumping as he held her up in the air.

"Rogers. She's going to puke, I already told you."

"She's fine, look at her, she loves it."

As soon as he said those words, Sophie threw up part of her breakfast on him, causing Steve to groan and loudly complain that it was in his mouth while James stifled a laugh and reached for the video camera.

"There's this guy who-" Both women turned their attention to the back door, as James and Steve walked in.

"Did you lift her again, Rogers? I _told_ you not to do that." The two men had just come through the door, when Natasha moved to take her daughter from Steve's outstretched arms.

"He deserves it for being such a punk." James moved towards the sink zooming in on the camera as Steve washed his mouth out and tried getting the puke off his shirt.

"Good girl Sophie, you're not the first to throw up on Uncle Steve." Maria cooed to the little girl as she took her from her mother's arms and sat her on her lap.

"Very funny, Hill."

"You reek of baby puke, Rogers. Do us all a favor and go shower." The brunette commented before standing and handing the birthday girl back to her mom.

"Go upstairs and change, I don't want you looking like that in pictures and _please_ take that stupid cap off." The red head said before disappearing up the stairs.

"What are you a frat boy? Who wears a cap like that anyway?" Maria quipped before pushing him away from her. "You _reek_ of baby puke!"

"He's trying to hide his widows peak." James added, still recording the interaction on camera.

"Widows peak? You mean _receding hairline."_ Maria sniggered and James laughed before turning off the camera.

"It's a widows peak." Steve said, trying to defend it hairline.

"C'mon. Let me give you something to change into." Moving out of the kitchen, James climbed up the stairs before stopping midway. "Maria, wanna help change Sophie? Nat needs to finish a few more things."

"Sure!" Maria moved around the table and towards the stairs.

Handing off, the birthday girl to her godmother, Natasha moved back into the kitchen with Steve.

"The cake is _amazing_ Steve. I like it better than my wedding cake."

Steve raised a brow at the redhead, "I made your wedding cake. You said you loved it."

Natasha made a face as she helped Steve take the yellow duck out of its box. "It was a bit dry."

"Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about. You know how I was taking Sophie to that one pediatrician. Who turned out to be very rude, I started taking to this other one…."

Steve shot her a look, he knew where this was going and that small smirk of hers only added to it. She was going to mention someone who was single and hot.

"Nat-" He warned, as he carefully placing the yellow duck to one side of the chocolate frosted cake.

"She's great with Sophie and she's pretty hot looking. No ring on her finger _and_ I talked up the receptionist and she isn't seeing anyone."

"Tasha, seriously? I'm not interested. You just keep having gorgeous babies and I'll keep spoiling them with cake."

Once Maria came down with Sophie and Steve changed, people were already filling the house. The kids went out back to play on the jumper and run around while the adults were inside. A few keeping an eye out on their kids in the back. There were _a lot_ of kids. It seemed that most of Natasha's and James' neighbors had kids of their own already.

Maria was trying to find Natasha as she listened to one of her neighbors go on and on about her kids.

"Are you dating anyone? I couldn't help but notice you don't have a ring."

"No, I'm not dating anyone."

"Well," The woman drawled, "You really should start looking, you aren't getting any younger. I have five kids and my husband is just the best. This is Jake, the newest addition." She looked at her son who was still in his car seat.

"John, honey, I think it's time to change his diaper."

The man who had been sitting on the loveseat with his three-year-old and seven-year-old, sighed and got up. "Of course, I'm on it."

"Thank you. And don't forget to feed him later."

Maria sighed and took a long sip of her wine, this was going to be a very long day.

Steve wasn't having much luck outside either. After over hearing a group of women talk about how great the catering was, he made the mistake of saying he had made the food. Now he was being surrounded by a husky guy who claimed he had been a quarter back in high school and college, his wife who wouldn't stop eyeing him and a gay couple (one of them wouldn't stop eyeing him either). He was beyond grateful when Natasha called out to him to come inside for the cake.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday dear, Sophie, happy birthday to you." Everyone gathered around the dining room table sang as Natasha brought out the cake lit with candles. Setting it in front of her daughter, she placed a kiss a top her head before blowing out the candles. James was recording on the video camera, while Natasha took pictures.

"Can we get the godparents next to her." Motioning for Maria and Steve to get next to Sophie, she got the camera ready.

"Get a bit closer. Alright."

"Say 'Steve has a widows peak!" James said, the group erupting into laughter as Natasha snapped the picture.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I don't know if anyone has read this or has been waiting on an update, BUT I have finally finished the second chapter! School is over, and I have three weeks of break so _hopefully_ I will be able to write a few more chapters before life gets busy once more. I hope I did a decent job on this one, as always, constructive criticism is encouraged.

* * *

Steve couldn't string together a full sentence as he was savoring the new cookie recipe Sam had made. The man, made pastries to die for, he would eat them off the floor, they were so delicious.

"Sam… you damn genius"

"There a bit dry. They crumble too much." Sam was basically a perfectionist when it came to cooking and baking. He'd learned everything he knew from his Grandma when he'd been living with her in Harlem. She cooked best soul food in all of Harlem Sam had declared countless times. Steve had tasted Sam's jambalaya and it was _heaven._

"I'd eat them off the floor they're _so_ good." Replied the blonde around a mouthful of cookie moving back towards the counter.

"That's gross, man. But really, they aren't any good… Oh look, smoked salmon is here." The man said as his gaze was caught by the blonde who rounded the corner. The same blonde who came in like clockwork around lunch time. The same blonde who Steve always rang up and couldn't stop smiling at.

"What?" Steve's attention turned to look outside the shop and sure enough, it was smoked salmon. Quickly making his way around the counter, Sam couldn't help but snigger to himself, he _always_ did this.

"Hi, I'd like…"

"Let me guess, smoked salmon on rye?" A smile was already tugging at his lips as he moved towards the display case.

The blonde, Sharon, chuckled and gave him an embarrassed smile. "I'm that predictable, huh?"

"No, I like to think of it as being consistent. We do have other items on the menu. Wraps, salads, different types of sandwiches."

"Surprise me then."

Giving her a nod, he moved to grab one of the freshly made turkey sandwiches on a croissant, wrapping it and slipping it into a brown paper bag.

"You _do_ work here right? I only ask because you don't have one of those name tags." A small smile played at her lips, blue eyes steadily meeting his.

"As a matter of fact, I do work here. I'm Steve." Extending his hand across the counter, he shook her hand before ringing her up.

"Sharon."

The handshake was firm, and his larger hand engulfed her smaller one in warmth. Pulling it away, she pulled out a crumpled ten-dollar bill from her pocket and handed it to him.

Handing her the change, he pushed the brown bag across the space between them. His mind racing for a final thing to say. "You know, if you have a business card, you can drop it in the bowl. Winner gets a free lunch."

Smooth, right?

"I don't have the best luck, but why not?" Sharon smiled and pulled out a card from her phone case, dropping it into the clear glass bowl that sat in front of the register. Taking her bag, she raised a hand in a wave and made her way out of the café.

"Wait…" Sam hissed, knowing Steve was itching to fish her card out of the bowl. Both men watched her walk out and rounded the corner.

As she did, Steve reached in and pulled out a handful of business cards, brows furrowing as he tried searching for her name. "Shit. Where is it? There's a Sharon Smith, a Williams, Stone…. How many Sharon's are there?"

Looking over his shoulder, Sam picked out another card that read _Sharon Carter_. "And now a Carter. Good luck figuring out which one is hers."

Although the man was teasing, he'd help him in his quest at finding out smoked salmon's last name. Why? Because he was one of his good friends and because the man clearly had a thing for her. It was only fair that he at least get a chance.

"Hi, Sharon, this is Steve calling from Fraiche, you dropped your card in the bowl and won…."

"Hello? Who is this? Why are you calling my wife?"

"What? Oh.. so sorry, I got the wrong number…"

Quickly hanging up, Steve shot Sam an annoyed look as he sniggered to himself from the couch.

"I didn't take you as a homewrecker." He took a pull of the beer as his friend shook his head and turned his attention back to the phone in hand.

Dialing the last number, he hoped this one was hers. Pressing the _talk_ button, he waited, counting out the rings. Nope. There was going to be no answer.

"Hi, Sharon, this is Steve calling from Fraiche, I really hope it's you I spoke to today. You're the last Sharon in the bowl I-" A beep singling a call waiting caused him to glance at the phone. "Call waiting…"

Pressing the talk button one more time, he answered and listened as the person on the line spoke. The male on the other line didn't even speak for a minute but it felt like the longest minute of his life. In that minute time slowed down and everything would end up changing.

After hanging up, Steve scrambled to grab his things and rush out the door. All the way to the police station he wished it was a sick joke of some sort. It couldn't be true, they couldn't… Sophie. Oh god, Sophie, was she with them? Was she okay? He had just spoken to them yesterday… _how_ was this possible.

Visibly shaking, he hazardously parked his car and got out, not caring about the light rain that was making itself known.

"I'm looking for an Officer Pym."

A woman pointed him in the right direction and the officer's sorrowful face said everything he needed to know.

The male hadn't been paying attention to what the officer was saying, tears threatening to spill over as he simply nodded along with what was being said to him.

"Sophie…" the name crocked out of him as he sniffled, "They have a little girl, is she okay?"

"She was with a babysitter at the time of the accident. She's with CPS for the rest of the night."

The acronym startled him a bit. Why would CPS be involved? Natasha and James were alright. Weren't they?

"I'm sorry… CPS? What do they have to do….?"

Officer Pym exhaled softly, "They take care of incidents like this…. Orphan children. A next of kin is going to be required or a family member who might be able to care for the child."

Somehow Steve managed not to breakdown, not only had he lost his best friend but his goddaughter had lost her parents. He gave the officer the information he needed and was making his way back out of the station when he saw Maria walk in. Her hair was slightly untamed, and parts were matted down due to the rain.

"Maria…"

The brunette met his gaze as he said her name. The small shake of his head told her everything she needed to know. A sob passed her lips, a hand going to try and stifle the sounds. Soon, his arms warp around her shaking frame. A hand smoothing her hair as he comforts her, his own tears sliding free as he presses his lips to her hair.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hi there! This chapter seems a bit shitty to me, feedback is appreciated. I have one more week left of break so hopefully I'll be able to write up a new chapter and either post it before or after the new year. Thank you for reading, enjoy!

As always, I don't take credit for any of the characters. All mistakes are mine.

* * *

After Maria calmed down, he drove them to James' and Natasha's house, they wanted desperately to see Sophie and make sure she was okay. Maria was on the phone with the lawyer while he spoke to CPS. Apparently, they couldn't see Sophie because it was past visiting hours and they would get a call sometime tomorrow morning.

"It was no use, they won't let us see her." Steve's voice rang out as Maria hung up the phone, having just ended the call with the lawyer. "They said they'd call when we could, sometime tomorrow."

The brunette sighed, running a hand through her hair as she set the phone back in it's base. "Their lawyer said he'd be here around nine, he said he'd help us getting Soph back here."

Nodding, Steve's eyes moved to look Maria once over. She looked exhausted, he probably did too. "It's late, we should get some rest." Before she could voice her protest, he shook his head, motioning towards the stairs. "Don't think about it, I'll take the couch, you can take the guest bedroom."

Unlike other times, Hill didn't have the energy to protest with him, so she gave a single nod before shuffling out of the living room. "Night, Rogers."

The following morning was strange for both Steve and Maria. They woke up, but it took them a minute for reality to set in and for them to realize why they were sleeping where they were sleeping. Maria ended up crying again and Steve just wanted to not feel numb. Unfortunately, they couldn't avoid each other or the rest of the day, they had to talk to the lawyer and get Sophie back home. After showering and having breakfast (which was mostly them pushing food around the plate) the lawyer appeared.

"Hi, Attorney Nick Fury. I was their lawyer since they got married. I'm so sorry for your loss."

All three sat down at the kitchen table as Nick grabbed a few papers from his briefcase. "They didn't have much in savings. They bought the house after Natasha's mom passed, it was as an investment."

"What about Sophie? CPS said we could see her sometime today." Steve added, really the main concern he had.

"When can we see her?" added Maria.

Nick tilted his head slightly, giving them a confused look. "James and Natasha didn't talk to you about this? Did they?"

The two plank looks he received told him everything. They had _no clue_.

"They didn't only name you as Sophie's godparents, but they put both of you in their will as her guardians if something like this were to happen."

"Wait.. they had a will?" Steve had known James since high school and never had he mentioned having a will.

"We're…. both of us? As in _together_?" This had to be a joke, they wouldn't do this to them. Maria couldn't wrap her mind around all of this. When were they going to tell them that they had picked _both_ of them?

"This is a lot to handle but it's what they wanted. It was what they thought was best for Sophie." Shuffling a few papers around, he reached into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. "I'm going to call CPS. Getting her home is our priority."

"Yeah… we uh… we just, we need a moment." Maria glanced at Steve who nodded as well.

"Give us a minute." Standing, both Steve and Maria went outside, the latter going out the front door while the former went out the side door.

This was all too much for both. They had just lost their mutual best friends and now out of the blue they were told that _both_ needed to raise their best friend's child. They had jobs and _lives,_ neither of them knew how to take care of a child, they weren't Natasha and James. You were supposed to meet someone first and then have a kid, not the other way around, _especially_ not with someone couldn't stand.

Running her hands through her hair, Maria breathed deeply before going back inside.

Steve still shocked but processing what was happening went back in as well.

"Okay." They glanced at each other and then at Nick.

"What if…" started Maria but as interrupted by Steve.

"One of us wants to take care of Sophie?"

"Or both? Or neither?" Maria added, unsure of which way she wanted to go. She loved Sophie, she really did, but working at Stark Industries wasn't exactly an easy job. And raising her with Steve? _As if._

"Okay… we can look at James' family, maybe someone might be interested. But in the mean time you two will get temporary custody of her." Putting a few papers away, he added almost as an afterthought. "And don't worry about the mortgage, it's taken care of. All you will have to worry about are the utilities."

After having gone to CPS to pick up Sophie, the four of them went to family court. With Maria and Steve being given temporary custody of the girl.

"Why'd you even _ask_ that question?" Steve asked as he unlocked the door, Sophie wailing in his arm as Maria trailing behind them with the bag.

"It was a fair question to ask, okay? I didn't it was going to be like Ophrah, ' _you get a baby! And you get a baby! Babies for everyone!"_

"Can you not be so cynical for a bit and help be figure out what's wrong with her?" Steve held her as she squirmed and cried, moving into the kitchen he lifted her up and smelled her. "Diaper is clean."

"What? You're just going to stand there and pretend like you didn't expect actual _questions_ to be asked?" Maria challenged over Sophie's crying as she moved into the kitchen, opening the fridge for something to make her. "She's probably hungry. You dropped her goldfish, remember?"

"Me? That was you." Okay she had a fair point. He had and the whole thing had taken less than ten minutes. It really hadn't been what he'd expected. But he wasn't going to tell her that, not when she was blaming him for Sophie's crying.

"I'm going to make her something."

Scoffing, the brunette shut the fridge and glanced at the red and waling child. Natasha would've known what to do, even before she had Sophie, she was great with kids. "You'll end up feeding her by the time she's two."

Moving to the cupboards, she rummaged around and grabbed a can of teddy bear cookie. Walking over to the high chair, she opened the can, pouring some of the contents onto the table.

"You really think we're what's best for her?"

Glancing at Sophie who was happily eating the cookies, she looked over at Steve, brow arched. "You know we have to try and find someone better than us."

Steve didn't want to admit it, but she was right. They had to find someone who knew how to take care of a kid, they weren't cut out for this. Sophie deserved better.


End file.
